Automatic air and steam pipe coupling.



No. 844,975. PATENTEI) FEB. 19, 1907.

W. F. THORNTON, JR.

AUTOMATIC AIR AND STEAM PIPE COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1'5, 1906.

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X o' M D W/TNESSES INVENTOR LMWW 'm zll argyfi ffiorliz onfi M 1? ATTORNEYS PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907. w. F. THORNTON, JR- AUTOMATIC AIR AND STEAM PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1906.

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INVENTOH 71 17171227 7 71077121 0 n A TTOHNE Y8 srarns PATENT @PPKQEQ AUTQMATEG AER AND STEAM PEPE CQUPLBNGH Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Application filed August 1'5, 1906. Serial No. 330,675.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. THORN- TON, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Germantown, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Air and Steam Pipe Coupler, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is an improvement in air and steam pipe couplers, designed to automatically form an effective connection between such corresponding pipes on different cars when brought together and to automaticaliy disconnect when the cars are separated.

Another object of the invention is to simplify the construction of devices of this character, making them positive and perfect in action even when the coupling of the cars takes place under the most unfavorable circumstances, as when brought together on sharp curves of when the couplers of the cars stand at different heights; further, to provide for the connecting of the air and steam pipes of one of my improved automatic couplers with such pipes ofan adjacent car when the latter is not thus provided.

One embodiment of the invention comprises a substantially hook-shaped spring in the nose near its base preferably in an angular direction, and carry suitable gaskets on the inner face of the nose and in .n opposed position to a spring secured to the guideplate and entering one side of the pocket. A. three-way cock provided for each pipe-line directs the air or steam to one of the aforesaid connections or to a side pipe which is used when coupling a car provided with my automatic coupler with a car otherwise equipped for this'purpose.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specifics-- tion, in which similar characters indicate corresponding parts in all the Figure 1 is a side elev tion head of two adjacent cars a h automatic coupler attached to Pig. 2' is a horizontal sectional q H J unproven l n ,h or them,

or reference ViQP/VS. j

tially on the line 2 2 of Pig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. j

The coacting couplers are of identical construction, and therefore a description of one will suflice for the other.

The numeral 1 indicates a draw-head of a car to the under face of which is bolted or otherwise secured a bracket 2, having fixed to its forward end'a spring 3. This spring is bent in a vertical plane in substantially the" shape of a hook and suspends at its forward end, by means of an eyebolt i, a coupler-head 5. it is'obvious by this connection of the head 5 to the eyebolt i that the head will be capable ofa free but limited lateral movement. The coupler-head 5 is made up of a nose 6, having an inner fiat face with a curved recess 7 on its opposite face at its outer end. Passing from the outside of the nose 6 near its face are nipples 8 for the air and steam pipe connection. The bore of these nipples passes through the nose 6 and are provided near the inner face thereof with inwardly-extending flanges 9, which coact with corresponding grooves in an extra heavy gaskets 10, preferably of rubber, these gaskets, as shown, projecting slightly beyond the inside face of the nose. The outer ends of the nipples 8 are coupled with the air and steam pipes it by the intermediate hose 12; Suitable three-way cocks 12 in connection with the pipes 11 act to direct the air or steam g 1e 14; extends gie of about thirty de r 0 width fro;

ottom and to 2 turned ir opposite su led with om their ou naterially le plate.

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through the hose and nipples or to pipes 13,

ranged parallel to each other at each side of a median plane and havesecured betweenthem to the outer end of the guide-plate a flat spring 20, extending rearwardly, where.

it ,is provided with a hooked -end 21,'the back face of whiehenters thepockets 16 through an opening provided therefor. When two opposed couplers of the construction thus described come together, the noses 6 strike the opposed guide plates '14, which directthem into the pockets 16 and automatically engage the recesses7 in their outer faces with respective opposed hook members 21, the spring carrying these hooked mem-- bers acting to throw the gaskets 10, carried in the irmer face of each nose, directly to- 4 gether and forming an air and steam tight connection. When" the couplers are pulled apart, the noses 6 act to automatically disenga e with their respective spring-hooks, there y permitting them to freely separate. Should the cars be on a curve or the couplers beat slightly different heights, it 1s obvious from the construction that the coupling will the flanges 18, and'the lips- 17 will act to to each other.

be as effeetively'performed. The noses 6 will. be revented from leaving the guideplates w en moving toward each other by "connected. These springs further act to compensate for the distances .between the cars, which when coupled together and in motion are at all times variable.

' Although I have described the invention in detail,it is to be understood that the precise embodimentis not material provided the essential. characteristics are employed as pointed out in the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- I v1 In an automatic'pipe-c'oupler the combination of a nose having a recess at one side thereof, a guide-plate, a pocket formed intermediate the nose and guide plate, a spring secured to the guide-plate having a hooked inner end entering. an opening at one side of the. pocket for the purpose described.

2, In an automatic pipe-coupler the combination of a nose having a recess at one side thereof, aguideeplate, a pocket formed intermediate the nose. and "guide-plate with outwardly flaring lips, a spring secured to the guide plate having ahook'edinner end enter-.

- 9mg an opening at one side of the pocket for 5 the purpose described. I

nose, and a spring secured to the guide-plate for the purpose described.

4. .In an automatic pipe-coupler, the combination of a nose, an outwardly-extending guide-plate forming an intermediate pocket between it. and the nose, said guide-plate being extended beyond. the pocket and increasing in width as its outer end is approached, and flanges on the inner face of the guideplate for the purpose described.

5. In an automatic pipe-coupler, a couplerhead comprising a nose having openings passing therethrough, an outwardly-extendingguide-plate forming with the nose an intermediate pocket, gaskets insaid openings, and a spring carried by the guide-plate for forcing a corresponding nose into contact with the gaskets.

6. In an automatic pipe-coupler the combination of a spring of substantially hook shape having one end in fixed relation to the draw-head and its opposite end in connection with a p pe-coupler head, adapting the latter to a slight lateral movement.

7 In an automatic pipe-coupler a hooked 9 5 spring in-fixed relation atone end to the draw-head of a car or the like, a pipecoupler head attached to the opposite end of the spring, said head comprising an outwardlyextending guide-plate and a nose forming an intermediate pocket as described.

8. In an automatic pipe-coupler, a coupler head comprising a nose and an outwardlyextending guide-plate -forming with said nose "an intermediate pocket having outwardly-flaringlips at its edges, said'guideplate extending beyond the pocket and having flanges on the inner face thereof, for the purpose described. o

. 9. In an automatic pipe-coupler,a couplerhead comprising a nose having a curved r'ecess at its outer face, an outwardly-extending guide-plate forming a pocket-between it and thefnose, flanges on the inner faceof the guide-plate, outwardl -fiaring lips at the edges of the pocket and a spring secured to the guide-plate, having a hooked end passing into the pocket for-therpurpose described.

10. In an automatic pipe-coupler,a coupler-head comprising a nose having a curved recess on its outer face, an outwardly-ex tending guide-plate increasing in width from its outer end and forming a pocket between it and the nose, flanges onthe inner face-of the guide-plate,outWardly-fiaring lips at the edges of the pocket, reinforcing-ribs at the outer face of the guide-plate, a rearwardlyextending spring attached to the guide-plate, said spring having a hooked end passing into one side of the pocket for the purpose described.

11. In an automatic pipe-coupler a coupler-head, means to admit of a limited free lateral movement of the head, means admitting of the forward and rearward yielding of the head, means coupling the air and steam pipes of acar or the like withthe head, and means for cutting ofi the communication between theair and steam pipes and head and communicating said pipe with side pipes for the purpose described.

12. In an automatic pipe-coupler, a hooked spring fixed at one end of the draw-bar or a car or the like, a coupler-head suspended from the opposite end of the spring, said head comprising a nose with an outwardlyextending guide-plate forming a pocket between it and the nose and a spring secured to the guide-plate and extending into an opening in the pocket for the purpose described.

In witness whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. THORNTON, JR.

' Witnesses:

W. W. HOLT, JNo. M. BITTER. 

